About Us

The staff of the Office of the General Counsel is responsible for preparation and review of University contracts and agreements and policies, representing the University in legal proceedings, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, providing legal advice to the University, and providing general support consistent with the University mission.

Staff

Craig Parker, Esq. - General Counsel
Andrea Bagwell, Esq. - Deputy General Counsel
Smruti Radkar, Esq. - Assistant General Counsel
Stacie Mills, Esq. - Legal Policy Analyst
Elizabeth Thompson- Administrative Assistant

Craig Parker, Esq. - General Counsel

Craig Parker served as General Counsel to The Catholic University of America from 1987 to 2009, becoming General Counsel at UDC in December 2009. He was Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Dean of the Law School at Catholic from 1980-1987. He attended law school at CUA and was a law librarian during and after law school from 1976-1980. Before law school, he worked as a VISTA Volunteer with the Delaware Division of Consumer Affairs and a newspaper reporter. He is a former member of the Legal Services Review Panel of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the NCAA General Counsel's Advisory Board and winner of the 2009 National Association of College and University Business Officers Innovation Award.  He is active in the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) and is Treasurer of The Arc of Prince George's County, a non-profit serving people with disabilities in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Craig also was a co-founder, with Peg O'Donnell, of the Campus Legal Information Clearinghouse, housed at Catholic University.  Craig and his UDC OGC colleagues are initiating a project with Catholic University, the American Council on Education, NACUA and other national higher education organizations to develop a national compliance center to make model compliance materials freely available to more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the country, assisting those schools in attaining compliance with Federal higher education regulations. B.S., Journalism, University of Kansas, 1971; J.D., Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, 1978; Certified Law Librarian, 1980. Licensed to practice in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

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Andrea Bagwell, Esq. - Deputy General Counsel

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Smruti Radkar, Esq. - Assistant General Counsel

As Assistant General Counsel, Ms. Radkar is responsible for maintaining and enforcing the University's compliance program.  This involves ensuring that the University not only complies with federal and District statutes and regulations, including the Higher Education Act, but also that it adheres to relevant industry best practices.  In addition, Ms. Radkar manages the University's litigation and actively participates on the University's Threat Assessment Team.

Prior to her employment with the University, Ms. Radkar practiced law in the private sector in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.  Her areas of practice included labor and employment law, discrimination claims, contract law, insurance defense, and litigation.

Ms. Radkar, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tulane University and a Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law Center. Ms. Radkar is licensed to practice in the State of Maryland and in the District of Columbia. She is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), as well as the District of Columbia Bar.

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Stacie Mills, Esq. - Legal Policy Analyst

Stacie Mills joined the Office of General Counsel as a Law Clerk in January 2009. She is primarily responsible for legislative matters, reviewing and updating applicable sections of the D.C. Municipal Regulations, providing Board of Trustees support by way of drafting Rulemakings and Resolutions, and serves as the point of contact for publication of University policies. Ms. Mills received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Florida A&M University and her Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law. She is a member of the Maryland Bar. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Mills worked in the Office of Contracts and Procurement for the DC Government Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and prior to that, as a Retail Buyer for a national department store chain.

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Elizabeth Thompson- Administrative Assistant

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